Sisters
Today the choir teach for the co-op saw me with the girls and our conversation went a little like this:
Her: Are those your daughters?
Me: Yes.
Her: They are so sweet. They are so nice to one another. I see them talk and have fun. What’s your secret?
Me: Oh, I think they’re just that way. I’m just lucky. Though half the time they love each other and half they hate each other.
Her: Well, they’re sweet and fun to have in class.
Me: Thanks.
Because of this conversation and some things that happened in choir they girls and I had a big discussion. There was a boy who wanted to be Eden’s partner and the conversation went a little like this:
Lilah: I was already Eden’s partner, but Kyle wanted to be her partner, plus Eden’s kinda shy, so I didn’t want her being a partner with someone she doesn’t feel comfortable with.
Me: Well, how about next time you ask Eden if she would like to be partners with Kyle, so if she wants to, she can, and she doesn’t have to be shy.
Lilah: But Eden is shy, and Kyle was mean after I wouldn’t let him be Eden’s partner. I want Eden to feel comfortable, and she doesn’t know him very well.
Eden: Yeah, I don’t feel comfortable with people I don’t know.
Me: Well, how can you get to know someone if you won’t be partners with them?
After this the conversation started repeating itself. Basically, Lilah is being the protective big sister and making sure Eden is happy. Sometimes this is good, sometimes not. In this situation I think it’s not good, because she’s letting Eden continue to be shy, and at other times Eden just has to do things with people and be partners with kids she may not feel comfortable with.
With Lilah being the protective big sister, and the choir teacher asking me how I’ve taught my children to get along so well, I wondered to myself why I have two girls who love each other so much. My answer.
I think it’s because there is only the two of them and they have to love each other.
Lilah and Eden get along about 70% of the time, and the other 30% is usually a battle of wills. The statistics vary from day to day. Some days they get along for 95% of the time, other days they get along for what feels like 1% of the time, but overall they really do get along and love to be around each other, and I think it’s because they’ve only got each other, and thus if they want someone to play with, they have to get along.
This evening I continued to think about the girls relationship. Eden and Lilah love one another and have so much fun playing together. I love homeschooling because they get to spend so much time together. I love that Lilah can get Eden to laugh so easily, she really is the one person who can get Eden to laugh and smile at the drop of a hat. I love that Eden lights up when she sees Lilah at lunch and they immediately want to sit with one another at the co-op. I thought of my own youth, and spending time with my older sisters, and how they took care of me and how they would let me do things with them and their friends.
As I continued to ponder on their wonderful relationship it was then time to make and get ready for dinner, and they decided to fight over who’s stuff was what, and how to put things away and a little yelling may have taken place.
Now they’re having fun in the shower.
Sigh, sisters.